GGCoach

SHOWJUMPING CLINICS

Toni Gray Showjumping Clinics:  

• Get prepared for the upcoming season
• Improve balance, control and rhythm
•  Learn to have fun with your SJ training
• Find out your horses potential  

Sunday 1st August Saturday 14th August Saturday 28 & Sunday 29th August

Venue: 333 Grays Road, 
Pauatahanui

$35 per horse per day + $10 arena fee  

To enquire or book contact Toni on tonigray@xtra.co.nz or 233 1237 (evenings).  

TIME FOR REFLECTION…

Well, I am sure you can all tell I get an “A” for Aweful in updating my Blog and Facebook! Although I am not that old I do still consider myself in the generation of the technologically challenged! BUT I have made the commitment to try harder this year:-)

Since I havent written since LAST spring, I thought I would start with a recap of last season. So what has been happening:

• I had a not so good season with many injuries and accidents. I managed to get my baby “Bella” out and about a bit with a few placing at PT Horse Trials and some SJ rounds at 95cm. I now have another new 5 year old bay mare named “Mel” and plan to have an AWESOME season out this year! I am determined not to miss another Taupo 3DE!!!
• Despite the riding goals not coming to fruition, I did manage to accomplish some coaching goals including becoming District Commissioner for Wellington Pony Club, the new XC Course Designer for Battle Hill, and attending the ESNZ Elite Coaches Seminar Course in January which taught me some UNBELIEVEABLE new techniques in coaching - come for a lesson and check them out!
• I also started as Operations Manager for Wellington Riding for the Disabled - this group truly changes peoples lives and I encourage you to support us!

Lots has happened with many other riders I help this season including:

• Congratulations to DOUGLAS THOMSON on doing a fabulous job of defending his title as the NZ YOUNG EVENTING RIDER OF THE YEAR two years running now - just magic Douglas!
• Glowing feedback on brother MICHEAL THOMSON for his stirling efforts in coaching our Pony Club Games Team to a credible performance this year (and also well done on getting that 4WD bike up and running Micheal as well as fitting out our horse truck with water, gas and electricity!).
• CHLOE WILSON purchased a new horse named Rimu. Despite that he continues to knock himself about in the paddock, Chloe jumped him 1.30m in a grid lesson last week, so should be an exciting season for them:-)
• LAURA RUTTEN joined me at RDA as Head Coach this year and is helping ride my horses again - she jumps Bella way better than I do and I’m so jealous!
• AMBER MCGOVERN-WILSON passed her “A” NZPCA Certificate this year. This is a huge achievement - well done Amber!
• BILLIE SCOTSON now has 3 ponies with the addition of a new GRAND PRIX pony - Look out in the pony ring this season!
• Sister MONIQUE had to give riding a break for a while and headed off to Uni at Massey but I hear she is looking at a new horse.
• NIKSTAR McCAUGHY and her wonderful partner KELVIN purchased a beautiful property in Te Horo and my superstar PEPPER has gone to live with her on some lush flat land which has turned him into a five year old again!
• NESS BROWNIE has purchased a new TB off the track and is retiring her much loved Bobby - welcome to the baby classes again Ness!
• JESS CAMERON completed her first Pre-Novice at the end of the season and although I promised to join her hunting this winter - it will have to wait to next winter sorry Jess!
• ANNA and HOLLY DUNCAN both have new mounts, with Anna having some success on her school master this past season and Holly starting to get the hang of her recently purchased cool pony.
• JILL ANDREWS also has a lovely new horse also - a beautiful young grey gelding who will replace Blue as her new competitive mount.
• CATHERINE NEAL also has a new chestnut horse named Tango who jumped beautifully round a course of 1m -1.05m last week in my clinic. The other Neal girls will now be sharing Cruise and Lace!
• JO MCGILCHRIST is enjoying her new move to the South Island and has been out Hunting in the Snow on friends horses, while Abby enjoys a winter break:-)
• CLAIRE BIRRELL recently completed her assessments with me to gain accreditation as a qualified COMMUNITY COACH. LIZ BARR-BROWN is also completing assessment for her CC with me at present, and STEPH MANN is awaiting some fine weather to complete her CC assessment.
• ISABELLA IRELAND has really started to click with the new pony she purchased last season. They looked in great form at a recent clinic.
• NATASHA GILLETT moved down to Blenhiem last year but it was great to catch up with her at HOYS this year. 

I am sure I have missed a few names, but I would love to hear the latest news and any photos readers have - send them onto me at tonigray@xtra.co.nz! 

And as we move onto a new season, dont forget to take the time to have a quick look back at how far you have come since this time last year - you may be surprised when you really think about it!

Welcome to GGCoach!

Well it has been a busy preparation to the beginning of the season. The first show - Waikanae Spring Show - has been and unfortunately I was not there so do not have anything to report. But apparently there were huge entries with some riders not getting home until 8pm! There is always a lot of apprehension and nerves at the first show of the season because as a rider you want to start the season off right! However the pressure of setting such a high standard for yourself to do well at the first show of the season often backfires, as nerves take over and you dont ride your best! In the coming weeks I hope to have some information on my Website Resources Page that can help riders deal with those nerves at competition - so keep an eye out.

My preparation for the season has been a bit up and down with the stress of changing jobs. I am nno longer the NZPCA Coaching Officer, but now the Operations Manager for the Wellington Riding for the Disabled - who are a great bunch of peopel to work with. Anyway, as such the schooling of my horses has suffered, but we have managed to have Andrew Scott down for a couple of GREAT clinics and never ceases to amaze me with the heights and courses I end up riding under his confidence-building eye! I have been to watch Bill Noble teaching dressage and his main theme was seeking a “beautiful contact” with the horse. James Jackson, 3* Advanced Eventor has also been down to Wellington and I about to go and have a lesson with him shortly. QE2 had a great XC training day and I am pleased to report my young mare jumped all the PreTraining fences first pop, so I was very pleased. Pepper, my 2* eventor now has a new rider - Tasha Mazey - and he is enjoying not having to do the hard fitness yards and high jumps anymore!

Well, daylight savings is here and the school holidays, so here is wishing everyone the best of luck for the coming season. Send me any results or pictures and let me know any other interesting info out there - tonigray@xtra.co.nz